The Times Herald (Norristown, PA)
How to attract right-fit applicants
J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc.
Steve went to his high school class reunion, excited to catch up with old friends and reminisce about the proverbial good old days. Upon entering the gymnasium for the big event, one of the first questions Steve’s former classmates asked him was, “What do you do for a living?” Steve’s response was, “I’m a Computer Ninja Extraordinaire Level 5.” Steve’s answer resulted in blank stares on the faces of those around him, followed by a confused, “What on Earth is that?” Rather than making his way to the punch bowl, Steve spent the next few minutes explaining what he really did for a living, which was technology support for a large paper company.
It may be tempting to add a creative twist to job titles, like the one in the fictitious story at the start of this article. To attract the most qualified job candidates, however, it’s best to keep job titles clear, concise, and in line with the overall job descriptions.
Writing solid job descriptions not only sets your company’s jobs apart, but it also helps define an employee’s role within your company. Providing a job seeker with that vision is a valuable strategy in today’s competitive job market.
Five keys to great job descriptions
– Keep job titles specific, and use standardized terms to describe the position. Let’s say, for example, you’re filling a lead position in your call center. Titling the position “Senior Customer Service Representative” would be more universal than “Service Specialist IV.” Applicants don’t want to guess what the job truly is.
– Write an attention-getting job summary. Describe what makes working at your company unique and why a prospective employee would want to work there. Be sure to include where the job is located or if travel is required. If working remotely is a possibility, include that information in the job summary. You may attract a more diverse set of job applicants who find that flexible option appealing.
– Provide an overview of day-to-day responsibilities and job duties in relation to how it fits within the company’s overall department structure. If there are certain metrics in place or customer contact, these are examples of tasks an applicant wants to know before starting the job.